Canberrans who create large Christmas-light displays will have to demonstrate they have public-liability insurance under new rules to be imposed by the ACT government.
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The policy will be introduced next year. While many homeowners already choose to take out such insurance, the government plans to enforce it because of the growing popularity of neighbourhood light displays.
The move comes after the government announced plans last month to charge homeowners for traffic management in streets with large-scale displays, but then backed down after an outcry from residents.
A Territory and Municipal Services spokesman said the government would continue to pay for traffic wardens and safety management, but residents would have to show that they had public-risk cover should an accident occur on their properties.
At the moment, the government only recommends property owners take public-liability insurance for the Christmas displays, which this year have attracted thousands of visitors each night.
However, it finalised a policy last month to manage the growing crowds flocking to the Christmas displays.
"We will be asking in the future that people demonstrate that they have public-liability coverage," a TAMS spokesman said. "That's more for their own protection if something happens on their land.
"At some of these events people are selling food, drinks … it's almost a community event where you're employing traffic management."
The spokesman said the requirement for public-risk insurance would only apply to houses that installed big displays.
If residents decided to organise a series of displays for the entire street, they would collectively have to buy insurance cover.
Phil Jenson has 110,000 lights arranged at his property in Bissenberger Crescent in Kambah.
He spends months planning the display, which includes a visit from Santa Claus in the final days leading up to Christmas.
He said he did not mind taking extra insurance if required, so long as the policy was applied fairly.
"As much as it is a charity thing that I do and a personal thing, you've got to take responsibility when people are coming to your home," Mr Jenson said.
"We're in an age where insurance is a must."
He said he would not be so supportive if the law applied only to houses with the largest displays.
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